Volvo 265 License Plate Bulb Size

The Volvo 265 license plate light uses bulb sizes 257 and DE3423 for the lighting components located at the rear of the vehicle. Available data for the specific bulb requirements covers the period from 1976 through 1981.

The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.

Bulb Size by Year Range

Years	Bulb Size
1981	DE3423
1980	257
1979	DE3423
1978	257
1976-1977	DE3423

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Festoon bulb, 41mm length, end-cap contacts. 12V.	DE3423
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Festoon or BA9s base instrument bulb. 12V, 2W.	257

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Volvo 265 license plate bulb specifications cover the 1976-1981 model years, with two distinct bulb types appearing across those years: the DE3423 and the 257.
The DE3423 is a festoon-type bulb conforming to the ANSI standard for the US and Canadian markets. It operates at 12 volts and measures 41mm in length, with end-cap contacts at each end of the bulb body.
The 257 is also an ANSI-standard bulb for the US and Canadian markets, rated at 12 volts and 2 watts. It is specified as either a festoon type or a BA9s bayonet base instrument bulb, meaning it can take two different physical forms under the same part designation.
Festoon bulbs make contact through metal caps at both ends rather than through a base socket, which is a defining characteristic shared by both the DE3423 and the festoon variant of the 257.
The BA9s base, referenced in the 257 description, is a miniature single-contact bayonet fitting with a 9mm cap width, commonly found in instrument and indicator lighting applications.
The Volvo 265 used the DE3423 in 1976, 1977, 1979, and 1981, while the 257 was specified for 1978 and 1980, indicating the two bulb types alternated across certain model years rather than one replacing the other outright.
Because the DE3423 and the 257 differ in base type and physical form, they are not straightforward substitutes for one another, and fitment depends on the socket configuration present in the specific model year vehicle.
The dual-form nature of the 257, which accommodates either a festoon or a BA9s base, suggests that the license plate lamp housing in 257-specified years may have been compatible with more than one socket type.